AB 143: Birth of a New Mythology

The Reenchantment: Birth of a New Mythology shines a light on the personal and geopolitical state of play for 21st century youth — and how near at hand are the antidotes to alienation, isolation, and despair. Are you feeling a little more watched over of late? Look no further than your hand.

Among the novel and various forms of exploitation emerging in this late capitalist reality is perhaps the most pernicious: surveillance capitalism. That is, your constant monitoring at the hands of Google and Facebook, among other friendly giants. What is it they want? Only to know what you want, moment by moment — a catalogue of your most minute preferences, idiosyncrasies, perversions.

And as the climate crisis darkens the horizon, and as our earth wobbles ever more violently on its axis, the Barbie doll of consumer culture, eyes slack and grey, inclines her face to the heavens. Am I alone? peals her cry. (You are not.) Will more save me? (It will not.) Are we okay? (We are not.)

But the final chapters of this story yet need writing. Adbusters #143 issues the rallying cry for a new narrative, a new reality — the birth of a new mythology. The blueprint, comrades, has been summoned. This is the eradication of corporate control, manipulation, and abuse. This is the lonely Millennial clawing her way to a revolutionary future. This is the rejection of poison and the re-enchantment of the left.